Did you know hair loss is a common postpartum side effect?
Many women experience thinning hair or changes in hair texture within the postpartum timeline.
This may pale in comparison to how your body feels after giving birth, but it is a concern for many women and can have an effect on your mood and self-esteem over time.
Thankfully, hair loss as well as most postpartum body changes are temporary and there are things you can do to improve your symptoms.
What causes postpartum hair loss?
When you’re pregnant, your hormones change drastically.
During pregnancy, you have high levels of estrogen that prevent your hair from falling out at normal rates. Routine hair shedding is a normal body process, but the high levels of estrogen, combined with an increase in blood volume, results in less hair falling out.
It’s no reason that pregnant women often notice their thicker and fuller hair!
However, once you have your baby, your estrogen levels return to normal almost immediately, which means large clumps of hair in your brush and excessive shedding are likely in your future.
How long does it last?
According to Healthline, hair loss can last up to a year and usually peaks around 4 months.
If you still notice clumps of hair in your shower or brush after the one year mark, you should schedule an appointment with your doctor.
You’ll want to ensure there are no other underlying health issues that are causing your hair to fall out. A blood test can rule out most serious health problems.
Postpartum Hair Loss Treatment
There are several things you can do to treat postpartum hair loss until the shedding stops:
- Make sure you eat a healthy and balanced diet (including healthy fats and omega 3s)
- Drink lots of water
- Continue to take a prenatal vitamin
- Use low manipulation hairstyles (no heavy heat from blow dryers or curling irons)
- Try using a volumizing shampoo
- Use doctor-approved hair grown serums and oils
And just remember that once your hair stops coming out in clumps you’ll have a nice set of “baby hairs” growing in around your hair line.
Be sure to stock up on some flexible hold hairspray, an unused toothbrush, and some bobby pins to keep those hairs in place until they grow back to a normal length!
Need more advice? Here are even more helpful tips for the first time mom for pregnancy, postpartum and beyond!